AG022: A Hole Lotta Trouble
is the 22nd episode of Pokémon: Advanced. Synopsis While exploring Dewford Island, Ash and friends notice a large cave and Max states that it's Granite Cave. They all enter and soon they fall into a pit trap courtesy of Team Rocket. Unfortunately they fall in as well and the two groups are mixed and separated. This time around, there are three groups: Males being Ash, Brock and James. Females being May and Jessie and the rest being Max, Pikachu and Meowth. Can these groups be brought back to order and who is in Granite Cave along with our heroes and villains? Episode Plot The heroes arrive to the Granite Cave where they are supposed to meet Steven Stone, who is studying the rare stones. Knowing Steven is a great trainer, who may know some locations for Ash to train for the rematch, the heroes head inside. Meanwhile, Team Rocket is digging a hole to catch Ash's Pikachu. Jessie claims the twerps will never suspect a hole inside the cave, even if James knows digging holes never ends well. While Ash yells out to get Steven's attention, while Brock places some stickers, so they can find their way out later on. Deep in the cave, Steven is excavating some stones, while his Aron is digging. Steven takes a break and gives Aron some food, seeing they have to search elsewhere. Team Rocket hides, while James still believes they should battle things out. The heroes walk to a spot, and fall down, into Team Rocket's hole. However, a crack is spreading, causing everyone - including Team Rocket - to fall deeper into the hole. Steven and Aron hear this and go to investigate. Everyone splits up in three different directions. In the first direction, Max, Ash's Pikachu and Team Rocket's Meowth have fallen. Max realizes the Granite Cave is a complex of tunnels and must've fallen into a deep level. Max proposes they should just walk up, through the tunnels, to higher levels. Meowth is angry, since they invested a lot of time in catching Pikachu, but Max reminds Meowth proposed first they should get seek others in the first place. Meowth calms down and goes with the twerp and Pikachu. In the second direction, Jessie and May have fallen. However, the cave they fell into is much lower than the previous one, so Jessie thinks they can just climb back up. In the third direction, Brock, Ash and James have fallen. Ash blames Team Rocket for this incident, but James challenges him to a battle, since he wants to do things fair. Brock reminds them they have to get out of the place first, since they are stuck amidst the rubble. Max, Pikachu and Meowth search for others. Max mentions they were to meet with Steven, son of Mr. Stone, the president of Devon Corporation. Steven is the one excavating for rare stones, so Max hopes they may find him, since he may know about the place's layout. Meowth thinks Steven has a lousy job, being the son's president, but Max states Meowth has a wrong idea. Pikachu and Meowth smell some fresh air, so they go in a direction. As Steven is searching for the people he heard screaming, Ash, Brock and James venture through the tunnels. James quietly yells out to Jessie and Meowth, since he does not care much about them. James builds up anger and starts yelling, but a lone Aron arrives. James is annoyed by Aron and starts angering it, causing Aron to howl and summoning a pack of Aron. The pack starts chasing off James, Ash and Brock. Steven comes to the point where everybody fell into the hole, so he and Aron jump down in the hole, to find them. James, Ash and Brock run away from the Aron and climb into a tunnel, where the Aron cannot climb onto, who simply enter another tunnel. Max, Pikachu and Meowth have arrived to a waterfall, where the fresh air is coming from. They notice a root from which they can go to upper levels. Jessie cannot go to the higher level and asks May to push her. May does so, but Jessie only complains how it is hurting her or May does not push hard enough. Suddenly, a Pokémon fell down, causing Jessie to scream. The Pokémon goes away, almost stomping on Jessie's head. Jessie falls down the hole, back to May, who sees the hole is wider. Steven comes to the place, where the Aron came out to chase away Ash, Brock and James. Steven sees they have to go to a higher ground, but wonders how will he do it. Max, Meowth and Pikachu climb the root, but Max sees they are barely halfway up. Meowth is annoyed, since he recalls James and Jessie have always relied on him, rather on their own. Max asks Meowth how can he speak, so Meowth makes a flashback where he met Meowzie and had to impress her, but in the end she got away. Max and Pikachu climb the root, making Meowth angry for not listening. Nevertheless, Meowth continues climbing the root. James, Brock and Ash have ventured to higher levels, but see this place is too much for them. Brock notices the sticker he place, so they are near the entrance, but they fall into the hole again. Just then, Steven comes back to the hole, seeing it is even larger than before. Max, Meowth and Pikachu have climbed to the top where they smell fresh air, though Meowth wonders how will they climb up. Pikachu smells someone's smell, so Max thinks it must be Steven, who passed by. May and Jessie go through the tunnels and they spot a light. They run towards it, but fall into the hole again. Ash, James and Brock are being chased by the Aron again, but Jessie and May fall onto them. Meowth, Max and Pikachu run off and encounter Steven. Max asks if Steven could find his friends, so Steven suspects they are the ones that angered Aron and woke them up. They arrive to a tunnel, where they can hear footsteps. Max yells out and gains May's attention, for she, Ash, Brock, Jessie and James see them from underneath the tunnel. Steven gives them directions where they will meet, near the waterfall. Max, Pikachu and Meowth hold onto Steven, who jumps to the other side. After arriving to the waterfall, Ash, James, Brock, Jessie and May are cornered. Steven tries to calm the Aron down, but since it doesn't work, Steven's Aron uses Roar, stopping their rampage. Per Steven's request, the Aron return to their nests, surprising Ash Steven can control wild Pokémon. Everybody reunites, even if Jessie, James and Meowth stated they don't like each other, but are happy to be reunited. In any case, Jessie sends her Seviper and James sends his Cacnea. Ash goes to have Pikachu use Quick Attack and Brock and May are to send their Pokémon. Steven stops the fight, reminding this is Aron's home, and the Aron live here in peace. Steven says will be the one fighting Team Rocket, as he sends Aggron. Aggron uses Hyper Beam, blasting Team Rocket out of the cave. The heroes are impressed how Steven handled the situation. Steven's Aron found a stone, so Steven takes and sees it is a Fire Stone. Steven is pleased with the discovery, knowing it can be used to evolve certain Pokémon. The heroes thank Steven, who admits he would not have found the stone without their help. Steven guides the heroes out to a side of the island, where Ash may train. Steven sails off in search for more stones, bidding the heroes farewell. After Steven is gone, Ash and Pikachu build up enthusiasm for training. Debuts Character Steven Stone Pokémon *Aron (Steven's) *Aggron (Steven's) *Loudred Trivia *Featured Pokémon: Vigoroth *This episode's name is a pun to "A whole lot of trouble". Gallery Brock places a marker AG022 2.jpg The heroes fall down a hole AG022 3.jpg The ground crumbles under Team Rocket AG022 4.jpg May encounters Jessie AG022 5.jpg James, frustrated, starts annoying an Aron AG022 6.jpg Ash, James and Brock are being chased by the pack of Aron AG022 7.jpg James flees into a hole AG022 8.jpg Max, Pikachu and Meowth come to a waterfall AG022 9.jpg A wild Pokémon appears before Jessie AG022 10.jpg The trio climbs the root AG022 11.jpg Meowth remembers Meowzie, the reason he learned how to talk AG022 12.jpg Steven and Aron meet the trio AG022 13.jpg Steven, Max, Pikachu and Meowth meet up with the others AG022 14.jpg Steven's Aron uses Roar AG022 15.jpg Team Rocket is reunited AG022 16.jpg Aggron launches Hyper Beam AG022 17.jpg Team Rocket sees their plan was full of holes AG022 18.jpg Steven found a Fire Stone AG022 19.jpg Steven sails off in search for more stones }} Category:Episodes focusing on Max Category:Episodes focusing on Meowth Category:Episodes focusing on Pikachu Category:Episodes written by Masashi Sogo Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Yūji Asada Category:Episodes animated by Masaaki Iwane Category:Pokémon: Advanced Episodes Category:Episodes featuring Champions